National Hog Farmer Bloghttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/21061/feed
enGreat way to start the dayhttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/great-way-start-day
<div class="node-body blog-body"><p>The sun may not be shining outside, but the Son was shining inside during the Praise Breakfast to kick off today&rsquo;s events at the annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.</p></div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/great-way-start-day" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/great-way-start-day#commentsAnimal Well-BeingNational Hog Farmer BlogSun, 01 Mar 2015 15:18:00 +000054741 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comPEDV still on minds at Minnesota Pork Congresshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/pedv-still-minds-minnesota-pork-congress
<div class="node-body blog-body">Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus is still on the minds of hog producers and swine industry leaders, but the disease appears to be under control, at least at the present time.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/pedv-still-minds-minnesota-pork-congress" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/pedv-still-minds-minnesota-pork-congress#commentsFood Animal ReportNational Hog Farmer BlogWed, 21 Jan 2015 22:56:00 +000053911 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comNo Magic Bullets, But Pork Industry Research Builds Toward Future Solutionshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/no-magic-bullets-pork-industry-research-builds-toward-future-solutions-0
<div class="node-body blog-body">National Hog Farmer has a long tradition of delivering research-based information targeted specifically for our pork producer readers. Our December issue, arriving in your mailboxes soon and posted on the NationalHogFarmer.com website, is devoted to the most-current research published within the last year to help support our industry. I always feel really good when reading through the many submissions each year. There are a lot of great minds working hard to solve many of the challenges pork producers are facing. </div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/no-magic-bullets-pork-industry-research-builds-toward-future-solutions-0" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/no-magic-bullets-pork-industry-research-builds-toward-future-solutions-0#commentsAnimal Well-BeingHealthNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 12 Dec 2014 21:38:00 +000052911 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comA Responsible Pork Industry Cares About its Animalshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/responsible-pork-industry-cares-about-its-animals
<div class="node-body blog-body">It seems the pork industry has had another rough-and-tumble round of media coverage this week. Mercy for Animals released undercover video taken on a Colorado hog farm. An expert panel, sponsored by the Center for Food Integrity and consisting of respected veterinarians and an animal ethicist, reviewed the video footage and noted that a lot of context is missing from what is presented. It is also not known when the video footage was taken, or what type of care the animals that are seen for a brief period of time were receiving beyond the moment depicted in each particular scene. As a contrast to the allegations of inadequate animal care, I would like to point out a couple of examples reinforcing my belief that our industry really does care—a lot.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/responsible-pork-industry-cares-about-its-animals" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/responsible-pork-industry-cares-about-its-animals#commentsAnimal Well-BeingBusinessFood Animal ReportNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 05 Dec 2014 16:50:00 +000052671 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comLeman Conference Impressionshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/leman-conference-impressions
<div class="node-body blog-body"><p>I hate to admit, but this year was the first time that I have ever attended the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference.</p>
<p>Though I have worked in Minnesota agricultural media for over the last 25 years, my joining the National Hog Farmer staff allowed me to finally attend this annual conference that brings the best and brightest minds in the swine health world to one stage for a few days.</p>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/leman-conference-impressions" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/leman-conference-impressions#commentsBusinessNational Hog Farmer BlogWed, 17 Sep 2014 20:25:00 +000050961 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comLooking Back at 2013 Through Headlines: The Year in Reviewhttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/looking-back-2013-through-headlines-year-review
<div class="node-body blog-body">It’s that time of year when lists are made. It starts with the Christmas list and seems to conclude with a list of resolutions for 2014. When it comes to the pork industry, you could make lists focused on a lot of things. For starters, we had some obvious hot topics here in 2013: a growing list of states with swine herds fighting a new disease, a list of those expressing opinions on both sides of the antibiotic use issue, lists pertaining to sow housing (and the list of grocery stores, restaurants and foodservice entities weighing in on the sow housing topic), just to name a few. </div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/looking-back-2013-through-headlines-year-review" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/looking-back-2013-through-headlines-year-review#commentsBusinessNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 20 Dec 2013 18:37:00 +000043731 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comAntibiotic Use in Agriculture Made News This Weekhttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/antibiotic-use-agriculture-made-news-week
<div class="node-body blog-body">The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued final guidance this week on two proposals aimed at limiting the use of antibiotics in food animals in an attempt to address growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance in humans. As <a href="http://www.meatingplace.com" title="www.meatingplace.com">www.meatingplace.com</a> reported, the move came amid a growing debate about whether the use of antibiotics on the farm is creating resistance to medicine. FDA says it does, and that the use of antibiotics in animal production needs to be limited to only therapeutic uses and not for growth promotion. The meat industry continues to point to the inconclusive link between animal antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance, emphasizing that producers are already judicious when it comes to antibiotic use.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/antibiotic-use-agriculture-made-news-week" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/antibiotic-use-agriculture-made-news-week#commentsHealthAntibioticsNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 13 Dec 2013 22:28:00 +000043511 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comStill No Farm Bill (And Why We Care)http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/still-no-farm-bill-and-why-we-care
<div class="node-body blog-body">‘Tis the season to focus on our plentiful, affordable food, our full stomachs, and our thankfulness that one leads to the other. As we lick the remaining Thanksgiving turkey gravy (or ham) from our lips, turn our attention to what’s left of the pumpkin pie and focus on what needs attention on our Christmas lists, I think we must admit that the world looks like a better place when we aren’t hungry. So how in the world did we get to this point of growing disconnect about the fact that food comes from farmers? And how can our country not understand that supporting a comprehensive farm bill also helps support that plentiful and affordable food supply? Let’s ponder what we all actually gain from a farm bill.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/still-no-farm-bill-and-why-we-care" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/still-no-farm-bill-and-why-we-care#commentsBusinessNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 29 Nov 2013 22:34:00 +000042891 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comWhen Bad Videos Happen to Good Pork Producershttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/when-bad-videos-happen-good-pork-producers
<div class="node-body blog-body">Ugh, another undercover video.” I think this was a common sentiment in the pork industry this week as the Mercy for Animals organization released undercover video claiming to show animal abuse in a pork production facility. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) was only too happy to promote the release of this video. And the Mercy for Animals organization was once again very open about this being another attempt at blackmailing a major retail chain into discontinuing the purchase of pork raised on a farm that used gestation stalls. Like it or not, pork producer and current president of the National Pork Producer’s Council (NPPC) Randy Spronk became collateral damage in an ongoing war—ultimately against meat consumption. </div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/when-bad-videos-happen-good-pork-producers" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/when-bad-videos-happen-good-pork-producers#commentsAnimal Well-BeingBusinessAnimal WelfareNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 01 Nov 2013 20:52:00 +000041901 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comNew App Delivers Blueprint Contenthttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/new-app-delivers-blueprint-content
<div class="node-body blog-body">Each year, readers of National Hog Farmer receive two special print editions that take a look at key challenges facing pork producers. These special editions, known as the Blueprint Series for Top Managers, serve as an invaluable reference issue for our readers. Each issue is written by a team of leading experts, from animal scientists and swine veterinarians to swine nutritionists and agricultural engineers, sharing a wealth of knowledge about each topic being covered.
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/new-app-delivers-blueprint-content" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/new-app-delivers-blueprint-content#commentsBusinessBlueprintSow Gestation StallsNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 18 Oct 2013 19:58:00 +000041122 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comCongratulations to the 2013 Pork Industry Environmental Stewards http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/congratulations-2013-pork-industry-environmental-stewards
<div class="node-body blog-body">The September issue of National Hog Farmer is devoted to the topic of Environmental Management. One of the highlights of this issue of the magazine is a special editorial section highlighting the 2013 Environmental Stewards of the Pork Industry. The Pork Checkoff announced the 2013 Environmental Steward award winners early this week. Congratulations to these outstanding pork production operations: Russell Brothers LLC, Monticello, IA; Bacon Hill Farm, Dodge, NE; Krikke Pork, Greenwich, OH; and Blue Mountain Farms, Milford, UT.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/congratulations-2013-pork-industry-environmental-stewards" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/congratulations-2013-pork-industry-environmental-stewards#commentsEnvironmentEnvironmental Stewardship Winners 2013Manure ManagementNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 20 Sep 2013 19:40:00 +000039422 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comHave You Thanked Your Local Vet School or Diagnostic Lab Today?http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/have-you-thanked-your-local-vet-school-or-diagnostic-lab-today
<div class="node-body blog-body">While looking over some of the headlines from the past week, it occurs to me that most pork producers are probably only one disease outbreak away from developing a healthy appreciation for their local vet school or veterinary diagnostic laboratory. As a child, I remember watching in complete fascination when our vet would come to our farm to “post” (conduct a postmortem) on a pig. I also remember hearing phrases like, “We’ll know more after we send this sample to Brookings.” South Dakota pork producers like my father have been lucky to have a resource such as the South Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, located in Brookings, SD, at their disposal over the years.</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/have-you-thanked-your-local-vet-school-or-diagnostic-lab-today" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/have-you-thanked-your-local-vet-school-or-diagnostic-lab-today#commentsAnimal Well-BeingPRRSNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 13 Sep 2013 20:45:00 +000039002 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comAug. 31 was International Bacon Day! http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/aug-31-was-international-bacon-day
<div class="node-body blog-body">The Labor Day weekend is considered by many to be the end of the carefree days of summer. In honor of this milestone, many people across the United States fired up the grill and made the most of the occasion. There must have been a lot of people thinking ahead to the pork that was going to await them prior to the holiday weekend, because some very interesting meat-related stories in the news made the news just before Labor Day. The top attention-grabber for me was the proclamation that Aug. 31 was International Bacon Day!</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/aug-31-was-international-bacon-day" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/aug-31-was-international-bacon-day#commentsBusinessEvery Month is Pork MonthNational Hog Farmer BlogSat, 31 Aug 2013 02:11:00 +000038262 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comBattling Antibiotic Misconceptionshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/battling-antibiotic-misconceptions
<div class="node-body blog-body">It’s been another week where antibiotic issues were prominently featured in the news. Perhaps you saw the news release from the Chipotle restaurant chain? The company says it is evaluating its policy when it comes to allowing the use of antibiotics to treat sick animals that may be in the company’s supply chain. Chipotle acknowledges that there are times when the company simply cannot obtain meat from animals that have not been raised completely antibiotic-free. When this situation occurs, Chipotle posts signs to let customers know that substitutions have been made. I’ve seen these signs in my local Chipotle. </div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/battling-antibiotic-misconceptions" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/battling-antibiotic-misconceptions#commentsAnimal Well-BeingHealthAnimal WelfareAntibioticsNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 16 Aug 2013 23:05:00 +000037002 at http://nationalhogfarmer.comSource: Chipotle.Learning from Other Countries about Antibiotics, Sow Stallshttp://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/learning-other-countries-about-antibiotics-sow-stalls
<div class="node-body blog-body">The United States is not the only country wrestling with issues, such as use of both antibiotics in livestock production, and gestation stalls. This week Scott Hurd, DVM, associate professor and director of the Food Risk Modeling and Policy Laboratory at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, makes some valid points about the “rest of the story” after Denmark banned preventive and growth-promoting antibiotics for pigs in 2000. “In over 20 years of food safety research, I have seen quite a few antibiotic-free (ABF) animals, including the famous pigs in Denmark,” he writes in his “Hurd Health” blog. “While working in the processing plant, I could often tell when ABF pigs were coming down the line. The animals from the ABF farms usually appeared somewhat unthrifty. Often there was less uniformity in carcass size and more ‘issues.’”</div>
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</ul></div><p><a href="http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/learning-other-countries-about-antibiotics-sow-stalls" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://nationalhogfarmer.com/blog/learning-other-countries-about-antibiotics-sow-stalls#commentsAnimal Well-BeingSow Gestation StallsAntibioticsNational Hog Farmer BlogFri, 09 Aug 2013 20:37:00 +000036542 at http://nationalhogfarmer.com